diff --git a/build.fsx b/build.fsx
index dfc3fd33..b7581440 100644
--- a/build.fsx
+++ b/build.fsx
@@ -361,6 +361,7 @@ let provideReadme title releasenotes path =
     |> ReplaceFile (path @@ "readme.txt")
 
 let provideFsLoader includes path =
+    // inspired by FsLab/tpetricek
     let fullScript = ReadFile "src/FSharp/MathNet.Numerics.fsx" |> Array.ofSeq
     let startIndex = fullScript |> Seq.findIndex (fun s -> s.Contains "***MathNet.Numerics.fsx***")
     let extraScript = fullScript .[startIndex + 1 ..] |> List.ofSeq
diff --git a/src/Numerics/LinearAlgebra/Matrix.BCL.cs b/src/Numerics/LinearAlgebra/Matrix.BCL.cs
index aa8dfeff..af555eba 100644
--- a/src/Numerics/LinearAlgebra/Matrix.BCL.cs
+++ b/src/Numerics/LinearAlgebra/Matrix.BCL.cs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 // http://github.com/mathnet/mathnet-numerics
 // http://mathnetnumerics.codeplex.com
 //
-// Copyright (c) 2009-2013 Math.NET
+// Copyright (c) 2009-2014 Math.NET
 //
 // Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
 // obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@
 // </copyright>
 
 using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Diagnostics;
+using System.Linq;
 using System.Text;
 
 namespace MathNet.Numerics.LinearAlgebra
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ namespace MathNet.Numerics.LinearAlgebra
 #endif
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Returns a <see cref="System.String"/> that describes the type, dimensions and shape of this matrix.
+        /// Returns a string that describes the type, dimensions and shape of this matrix.
         /// </summary>
         public virtual string ToTypeString()
         {
@@ -99,131 +101,274 @@ namespace MathNet.Numerics.LinearAlgebra
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Returns a <see cref="System.String"/> that represents the content of this matrix.
+        /// Returns a string 2D array that summarizes the content of this matrix.
         /// </summary>
-        public string ToMatrixString(int maxRows, int maxColumns, IFormatProvider provider = null)
+        public string[,] ToMatrixStringArray(int upperRows, int lowerRows, int leftColumns, int rightColumns,
+            string horizontalEllipsis, string verticalEllipsis, string diagonalEllipsis, Func<T, string> formatValue)
         {
-            return ToMatrixString(maxRows, maxColumns, 12, "G6", provider);
+            int upper = RowCount <= upperRows ? RowCount : upperRows;
+            int lower = RowCount <= upperRows ? 0 : RowCount <= upperRows + lowerRows ? RowCount - upperRows : lowerRows;
+            bool rowEllipsis = RowCount > upper + lower;
+            int rows = rowEllipsis ? upper + lower + 1 : upper + lower;
+
+            int left = ColumnCount <= leftColumns ? ColumnCount : leftColumns;
+            int right = ColumnCount <= leftColumns ? 0 : ColumnCount <= leftColumns + rightColumns ? RowCount - leftColumns : rightColumns;
+            bool colEllipsis = ColumnCount > left + right;
+            int cols = colEllipsis ? left + right + 1 : left + right;
+
+            var array = new string[rows, cols];
+            for (int i = 0; i < upper; i++)
+            {
+                for (int j = 0; j < left; j++)
+                {
+                    array[i, j] = formatValue(At(i, j));
+                }
+                if (colEllipsis)
+                {
+                    array[i, left] = horizontalEllipsis;
+                }
+                for (int j = 0; j < right; j++)
+                {
+                    array[i, left + 1 + j] = formatValue(At(i, ColumnCount - right + j));
+                }
+            }
+            if (rowEllipsis)
+            {
+                for (int j = 0; j < left; j++)
+                {
+                    array[upper, j] = verticalEllipsis;
+                }
+                if (colEllipsis)
+                {
+                    array[upper, left] = diagonalEllipsis;
+                }
+                for (int j = 0; j < right; j++)
+                {
+                    array[upper, left + 1 + j] = verticalEllipsis;
+                }
+            }
+            for (int i = 0; i < lower; i++)
+            {
+                for (int j = 0; j < left; j++)
+                {
+                    array[upper + 1 + i, j] = formatValue(At(RowCount - lower + i, j));
+                }
+                if (colEllipsis)
+                {
+                    array[upper + 1 + i, left] = horizontalEllipsis;
+                }
+                for (int j = 0; j < right; j++)
+                {
+                    array[upper + 1 + i, left + 1 + j] = formatValue(At(RowCount - lower + i, ColumnCount - right + j));
+                }
+            }
+            return array;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Returns a <see cref="System.String"/> that represents the content of this matrix.
+        /// Returns a string 2D array that summarizes the content of this matrix.
         /// </summary>
-        public string ToMatrixString(int maxRows, int maxColumns, int padding, string format = null, IFormatProvider provider = null)
+        public string[,] ToMatrixStringArray(int upperRows, int lowerRows, int minLeftColumns, int rightColumns, int maxWidth, int padding,
+            string horizontalEllipsis, string verticalEllipsis, string diagonalEllipsis, Func<T, string> formatValue)
         {
-            int rowN = RowCount <= maxRows ? RowCount : maxRows < 3 ? maxRows : maxRows - 1;
-            bool rowDots = maxRows < RowCount;
-            bool rowLast = rowDots && maxRows > 2;
+            int upper = RowCount <= upperRows ? RowCount : upperRows;
+            int lower = RowCount <= upperRows ? 0 : RowCount <= upperRows + lowerRows ? RowCount - upperRows : lowerRows;
+            bool rowEllipsis = RowCount > upper + lower;
+            int rows = rowEllipsis ? upper + lower + 1 : upper + lower;
 
-            int colN = ColumnCount <= maxColumns ? ColumnCount : maxColumns < 3 ? maxColumns : maxColumns - 1;
-            bool colDots = maxColumns < ColumnCount;
-            bool colLast = colDots && maxColumns > 2;
+            int left = ColumnCount <= minLeftColumns ? ColumnCount : minLeftColumns;
+            int right = ColumnCount <= minLeftColumns ? 0 : ColumnCount <= minLeftColumns + rightColumns ? RowCount - minLeftColumns : rightColumns;
 
-            const string separator = " ";
-            const string dots = "...";
-            string pdots = "...".PadLeft(padding);
+            var columnsLeft = new List<Tuple<int, string[]>>();
+            for (int j = 0; j < left; j++)
+            {
+                columnsLeft.Add(FormatColumn(j, rows, upper, lower, rowEllipsis, verticalEllipsis, formatValue));
+            }
 
-            if (format == null)
+            var columnsRight = new List<Tuple<int, string[]>>();
+            for (int j = 0; j < right; j++)
             {
-                format = "G8";
+                columnsRight.Add(FormatColumn(ColumnCount - right + j, rows, upper, lower, rowEllipsis, verticalEllipsis, formatValue));
             }
 
-            var stringBuilder = new StringBuilder();
+            int chars = columnsLeft.Sum(t => t.Item1 + padding) + columnsRight.Sum(t => t.Item1 + padding);
+            for (int j = left; j < ColumnCount - right; j++)
+            {
+                var candidate = FormatColumn(j, rows, upper, lower, rowEllipsis, verticalEllipsis, formatValue);
+                chars += candidate.Item1 + padding;
+                if (chars > maxWidth)
+                {
+                    break;
+                }
+                columnsLeft.Add(candidate);
+            }
 
-            for (var row = 0; row < rowN; row++)
+            int cols = columnsLeft.Count + columnsRight.Count;
+            bool colEllipsis = ColumnCount > cols;
+            if (colEllipsis)
             {
-                if (row > 0)
+                cols++;
+            }
+
+            var array = new string[rows, cols];
+            int colIndex = 0;
+            foreach (var column in columnsLeft)
+            {
+                for (int i = 0; i < column.Item2.Length; i++)
                 {
-                    stringBuilder.Append(Environment.NewLine);
+                    array[i, colIndex] = column.Item2[i];
                 }
-                stringBuilder.Append(At(row, 0).ToString(format, provider).PadLeft(padding));
-                for (var column = 1; column < colN; column++)
+                colIndex++;
+            }
+            if (colEllipsis)
+            {
+                int rowIndex = 0;
+                for (var row = 0; row < upper; row++)
                 {
-                    stringBuilder.Append(separator);
-                    stringBuilder.Append(At(row, column).ToString(format, provider).PadLeft(padding));
+                    array[rowIndex++, colIndex] = horizontalEllipsis;
                 }
-                if (colDots)
+                if (rowEllipsis)
                 {
-                    stringBuilder.Append(separator);
-                    stringBuilder.Append(dots);
-                    if (colLast)
-                    {
-                        stringBuilder.Append(separator);
-                        stringBuilder.Append(At(row, ColumnCount - 1).ToString(format, provider).PadLeft(12));
-                    }
+                    array[rowIndex++, colIndex] = diagonalEllipsis;
                 }
-            }
-
-            if (rowDots)
-            {
-                stringBuilder.Append(Environment.NewLine);
-                stringBuilder.Append(pdots);
-                for (var column = 1; column < colN; column++)
+                for (var row = RowCount - lower; row < RowCount; row++)
                 {
-                    stringBuilder.Append(separator);
-                    stringBuilder.Append(pdots);
+                    array[rowIndex++, colIndex] = horizontalEllipsis;
                 }
-                if (colDots)
+                colIndex++;
+            }
+            foreach (var column in columnsRight)
+            {
+                for (int i = 0; i < column.Item2.Length; i++)
                 {
-                    stringBuilder.Append(separator);
-                    stringBuilder.Append(dots);
-                    if (colLast)
-                    {
-                        stringBuilder.Append(separator);
-                        stringBuilder.Append(pdots);
-                    }
+                    array[i, colIndex] = column.Item2[i];
                 }
+                colIndex++;
             }
+            return array;
+        }
 
-            if (rowLast)
+        Tuple<int, string[]> FormatColumn(int column, int height, int upper, int lower, bool withEllipsis, string ellipsis, Func<T, string> formatValue)
+        {
+            var c = new string[height];
+            int index = 0;
+            for (var row = 0; row < upper; row++)
             {
-                stringBuilder.Append(Environment.NewLine);
-                stringBuilder.Append(At(RowCount - 1, 0).ToString(format, provider).PadLeft(padding));
-                for (var column = 1; column < colN; column++)
+                c[index++] = formatValue(At(row, column));
+            }
+            if (withEllipsis)
+            {
+                c[index++] = "";
+            }
+            for (var row = RowCount - lower; row < RowCount; row++)
+            {
+                c[index++] = formatValue(At(row, column));
+            }
+            int w = c.Max(x => x.Length);
+            if (withEllipsis)
+            {
+                c[upper] = ellipsis;
+            }
+            return new Tuple<int, string[]>(w, c);
+        }
+
+        static string FormatStringArrayToString(string[,] array, string columnSeparator, string rowSeparator)
+        {
+            var rows = array.GetLength(0);
+            var cols = array.GetLength(1);
+
+            var widths = new int[cols];
+            for (int i = 0; i < rows; i++)
+            {
+                for (int j = 0; j < cols; j++)
                 {
-                    stringBuilder.Append(separator);
-                    stringBuilder.Append(At(RowCount - 1, column).ToString(format, provider).PadLeft(padding));
+                    widths[j] = Math.Max(widths[j], array[i, j].Length);
                 }
-                if (colDots)
+            }
+
+            var sb = new StringBuilder();
+            for (int i = 0; i < rows; i++)
+            {
+                sb.Append(array[i, 0].PadLeft(widths[0]));
+                for (int j = 1; j < cols; j++)
                 {
-                    stringBuilder.Append(separator);
-                    stringBuilder.Append(dots);
-                    if (colLast)
-                    {
-                        stringBuilder.Append(separator);
-                        stringBuilder.Append(At(RowCount - 1, ColumnCount - 1).ToString(format, provider).PadLeft(padding));
-                    }
+                    sb.Append(columnSeparator);
+                    sb.Append(array[i, j].PadLeft(widths[j]));
                 }
+                sb.Append(rowSeparator);
+            }
+            return sb.ToString();
+        }
+
+        public string ToMatrixString(int upperRows, int lowerRows, int leftColumns, int rightColumns,
+            string horizontalEllipsis, string verticalEllipsis, string diagonalEllipsis,
+            string columnSeparator, string rowSeparator, Func<T, string> formatValue)
+        {
+            return FormatStringArrayToString(
+                ToMatrixStringArray(upperRows, lowerRows, leftColumns, rightColumns, horizontalEllipsis, verticalEllipsis, diagonalEllipsis, formatValue),
+                columnSeparator, rowSeparator);
+        }
+
+        public string ToMatrixString(int upperRows, int lowerRows, int minLeftColumns, int rightColumns, int maxWidth,
+            string horizontalEllipsis, string verticalEllipsis, string diagonalEllipsis,
+            string columnSeparator, string rowSeparator, Func<T, string> formatValue)
+        {
+            return FormatStringArrayToString(
+                ToMatrixStringArray(upperRows, lowerRows, minLeftColumns, rightColumns, maxWidth, columnSeparator.Length, horizontalEllipsis, verticalEllipsis, diagonalEllipsis, formatValue),
+                columnSeparator, rowSeparator);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Returns a string that summarizes the content of this matrix.
+        /// </summary>
+        public string ToMatrixString(int maxRows, int maxColumns, string format = null, IFormatProvider provider = null)
+        {
+            if (format == null)
+            {
+                format = "G6";
+            }
+
+            return ToMatrixString(maxRows - 2, 2, maxColumns - 2, 2, "..", "..", "..", "  ", Environment.NewLine, x => x.ToString(format, provider));
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Returns a string that summarizes the content of this matrix.
+        /// </summary>
+        public string ToMatrixString(string format = null, IFormatProvider provider = null)
+        {
+            if (format == null)
+            {
+                format = "G6";
             }
 
-            return stringBuilder.ToString();
+            return ToMatrixString(8, 4, 5, 2, 76, "..", "..", "..", "  ", Environment.NewLine, x => x.ToString(format, provider));
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Returns a <see cref="System.String"/> that summarizes this matrix.
+        /// Returns a string that summarizes this matrix.
         /// </summary>
-        public string ToString(int maxRows, int maxColumns, IFormatProvider provider = null)
+        public string ToString(int maxRows, int maxColumns, string format = null, IFormatProvider formatProvider = null)
         {
-            return string.Concat(ToTypeString(), Environment.NewLine, ToMatrixString(maxRows, maxColumns, provider));
+            return string.Concat(ToTypeString(), Environment.NewLine, ToMatrixString(maxRows, maxColumns, format, formatProvider));
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Returns a <see cref="System.String"/> that summarizes this matrix.
+        /// Returns a string that summarizes this matrix.
         /// The maximum number of cells can be configured in the <see cref="Control"/> class.
         /// </summary>
         public override sealed string ToString()
         {
-            return string.Concat(ToTypeString(), Environment.NewLine, ToMatrixString(Control.MaxToStringRows, Control.MaxToStringColumns));
+            return string.Concat(ToTypeString(), Environment.NewLine, ToMatrixString());
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Returns a <see cref="System.String"/> that summarizes this matrix.
+        /// Returns a string that summarizes this matrix.
         /// The maximum number of cells can be configured in the <see cref="Control"/> class.
         /// The format string is ignored.
         /// </summary>
-        public string ToString(string format, IFormatProvider formatProvider)
+        public string ToString(string format = null, IFormatProvider formatProvider = null)
         {
-            return string.Concat(ToTypeString(), Environment.NewLine, ToMatrixString(Control.MaxToStringRows, Control.MaxToStringColumns, formatProvider));
+            return string.Concat(ToTypeString(), Environment.NewLine, ToMatrixString(format, formatProvider));
         }
     }
 }